PART ONE: CPA HOUSING INSPECTION REPORT - IMPROVEMENT PLAN IN FULL
Implementation of the improvement plan will be the responsibility of the following team of council members and senior officers:                                                                               G. Kendall (Portfolio Holder - Social Servivers & Housing), I Stephens (Chair of Social Services & Housing Select Committee),     R Barry (Portfolio Holder - Resources),      M Miller (Chair - Development Control), C Waddicor (Strategic Director of Social Services & Housing until 10/02), G Garrod (Strategic Director of Social Services & Housing from 1/3/03), C Binnie (Head fo Housing until 31.12.02), M Pearl (Head of Housing from 1/1/03), E D Cousins (Head of Policy, Performancer & Resources), Martyn Stanley (Senior Housing Officer), P Griffiths (Housing Initiatives Officer), A Curzon (Principal Planning Officer), Y May (Manager -Supporting People), T Flower (Head of Property Services)
Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
	IMPROVE ACCESS TO SERVICES AND HELP FOR HOMELESS APPLICANTS
1	Improve arrangements for preventing homelessness.	Agreement to be made with IHAC, Homestart and ISP to increase and co-ordinate preventative work. To be added to existing contracts.	M Pearl & ED Cousins	Nov 2002 DONE	Agreement with IHAC for new staff to commence April 2004 who will become first point of contact for all homeless applicants or people with potential housing problem.  This should reduce homelessness by acting preventatively.
	Improve workload capacity within the homelessness service.	Agreements to be made with housing associations and the IW Supporting People team to co-ordinate preventative work that will further limit eviction of RSL tenants.	M Pearl	Nov 2002 DONE	Protocols in place for RSLs to work closely with Homelessness Prevention Officer to ensure that any potential evictees are identified and advised at an early stage.  Options will be considered, e.g. rent deposits or clearance of outstanding arrears.  Support through floating support will be provided where necessary.
	Ensure that applicants with genuine priority and grounds for help are not disadvantaged by inaccurate information, inadequate preventative support or by dishonest applicants.	A homelessness prevention officer to be appointed to the homelessness team to undertake preventative work including home visiting and investigation, and a focus on updating information and recording decisions.	M Pearl	Oct 2002 DONE	A homelessness prevention officer has been in place since 01.01.04
	Improve the housing office reception arrangements.	Improve availability and quality of written prevention and support advice. For Who/When details see Action 8.2.	M Pearl	DONE	A full review of leaflets and other advice material has been undertaken.  New materials, including a single persons handbook are now available
Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
		Review of staffing structures and processes. See Action 15.	M Pearl	Staff review DONE	A full review of staffing structure has now been undertaken and is reflected in bids included in the Service Plan process.  Many processes have also been reviewed and further work is being conducted through a peer review in May 2004.
		New strategic manager to be in post within a satisfactory time, in order to avoid delays in change and improvement.	C.Waddicor	Dec 2002 DONE	M.Pearl commenced on 01/01/03
		Implement new file audit and decision review process as part of improved staff supervision arrangements, taking advice from Peer review process and internal review of homelessness procedures: 10% of all files to be audited as directed by HoHS each year. See Action 7.	M Pearl/      M Stanley	June 2004	To be in place by June 2004
		Commence an upgrade of the housing reception area as part of a planned investment. Give priority to concern for corporate branding and visitor comfort, to a level that compares with the benchmark corporate customer services centre.	M Pearl	April 2002      Sept 2004	New doors were fitted in Feb, further work to be programmed – awaiting costings from Property Services
2	Ensure compliance with the Code of Guidance and procedures.	Improve reception and call-taking arrangements by clarifying the intentions and needs of people approaching the council for advice (change reception and interview protocols) and;	M Stanley	August 2002 DONE	Now Implemented
	Improve the earliest stages of offering advice and making homelessness decisions.	Implement the recording of all approaches and issue a decision on all approaches classed as ‘applications’	M Stanley	April 2003 DONE	Now Implemented
Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
	REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION AND BED & BREAKFAST
3	Reduce the reliance of the council on long term temporary accommodation (TA) and bed and breakfast (B&B) accommodation	Apply the B&B action plan and regularly monitor performance through HoHS PDP with quarterly data reporting to SMG.	M Pearl & ED Cousins	July 2002 ONGOING	Monitoring of action plan performance is now in place
		Commence a programme of member-agreed council (corporate) working policies and strategies aimed at raising the range and level of (long-term) affordable housing. See Action 21.	M Pearl/      G Kendall	SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS   June 2004	New Homelessness and Housing Renewal Strategies in place with targets to reduce homelessness.  Work with RSLs and Planners to increase yield of affordable housing through s106 agreements at an advanced stage.  Awaiting results of Housing Market research
4	Re-focus and improve allocation arrangements. Speed up the housing nomination process, and improve the accuracy of information that supports decisions.	The Common Housing Register to include new nomination protocols between the council and RSLs, including a new points policy with greater emphasis on the needs of local people. See Actions 14.1 and 14.2.	M.Pearl/ M.Stanley	DONE	CHR operative from April 2003
	Continue to improve the ‘local connection’ policy for all applicants, to ensure that needs and public concerns are balanced.	Commence monitoring and reporting to members on the performance and effectiveness of new nomination protocols.	M Stanley	March 2003     March 2004	CHR operative from April 2003
		Investigate with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) and subsequently act on any potential for extension of the minimum wait for applicants without local connections from six months to nine months.	C Binnie &  R Mazillius	July 2002   DONE	Contact made with ODPM – the six months remains operative
		Implement six-monthly reviews of the status of housing register applicants (from yearly reviews).	M Stanley	Sept 2003    Feb 2004      ONGOING	Due from Oct 03.  Full review undertaken in August 03, 6 month review from Feb 04
Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
5	Improve vacancy nomination arrangements for people in temporary accommodation.	Agree with RSLs an increase in the total proportion of nomination rights from RSLs, to a level in excess of 80%.	C Waddicor	Dec 2002 DONE	Achieved via the Service Level Agreement for the Common Housing Register
		Monitor nominations to ensure that RSL’s meet agreed protocol for needs of families in temporary accommodation.	C Waddicor	Annually   March 2004
		Monitor housing nominations to ensure that vacancies meet the agreements made with RSL’s for homeless families.(See also Action 14.1 and 14.2).	C Waddicor	Annually	Quarterly allocation data to be submitted to SS Select from March 2004
	IMPROVING LIVING CONDITIONS AND SUPPORT TO APPLICANTS IN TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION
6	Living space in some temporary accommodation (TA) is limited and unsuited to long-term residence.	Undertake and conclude a review of the suitability of existing TA and identify alternatives and a course of action at the end of existing contracts.	MPearl &     G Kendal	April 2004    Report to SS select in June 2004	Included in Homelessness Strategy Action Plan for 2003/4
	Improve co-ordination of floating support schemes	Conclude arrangements with the Supporting People (SP) manager and potential providers to ensure all SP funded floating support schemes are co-ordinated effectively.	M Pearl &      Y May	March 2003    DONE	Achieved initially through the golden cut process, subject to annual review
		Merge housing and ‘Supporting People’ services and staff.	C Waddicor	Dec 2002 DONE	Now fully integrated into Housing Services
Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
	DEVELOPING INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS ARRANGEMENTS
7	Customer care arrangements can be improved.	Commence consultation with service-users for feedback on the highest priority issues in customer care improvement. Make changes that will continuously improve standards and measurable levels of customer satisfaction  See Actions 8.4 and 8.5.	M Pearl	Jan 2003    DONE/   ONGOING	Consultation undertaken as part of the development process for the Homelessness and Housing Renewal Strategy.
	Improve the satisfaction of service-users with the consistency of staff contact and decision-making.	Improve service quality and consistency; commence identification of staff training, support and monitoring arrangements through annual PDPs. See Action 12.8.	M.Pearl, M.Stanley, I.Hookey, Y.May	Jan 2003    DONE/   ONGOING	Now in place
		Publish an updated and amended staff manual that reflects inspection findings and input from peer review process, user feedback and new legislation. See Action 12.6.	M Stanley	June 2004	Peer review to take place April 2004
		Immediately implement the new directorate supervision strategy (2002).	M Pearl & M Stanley	August 2002   DONE	Implemented
8	Improve public communications and information about the service, access to advice and help, and how to complain.	Immediately implement the new directorate-wide information and communication strategy (due September 2002).	M Pearl	Sept 2002         IN PLACE   ONGOING	Working closely with Directorate PR Officer, Sarah Olney to ensure high quality communications with key stakeholders
	Improve communication with service users, particularly written contacts and updates on progress.	Commence continuous revision of leaflets and arrangements for their distribution (50% of the portfolio within 6 months). Use the resources of the communications strategy to exploit new forms of access including the internet and RSLs. High priority will be given to upgrading complaints information.	P Griffiths/   H Field/        S Olney	Nov 2002 DONE/      ONGOING	New leaflets produced following production of Renewal and Homelessness Strategies
Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
	Develop better arrangements for consultation on homelessness service, its conduct, objectives and service standards (see Action 12 below).	Agree a programme for marketing and publicising the homelessness service through corporate communications such as Wight Insight and campaigns.	M Pearl	Sept 2002        IN PLACE   ONGOING	Initial target achieved.  On-going process of continuous information.(see point 1 above)
	Improve and exploit links with corporate consultation opportunities.	Commence audit of key communication needs of service users during the homelessness process and devise a new communication protocol that includes clear service standards and regular review of performance.	P Griffiths/   H Field/        S Olney	May 2004	Commenced through Homeless Strategy process.  New user feedback forms to be introduced by June 2004.
	Improve the public image of the service. Market the service to stimulate and make more accurate the ‘word of mouth’ understanding of the service within the community and especially with those most at risk.	Devise departmental communications strategy, and commence a continuous consultation process using service-user feedback, focus groups and wider public inclusion through corporate communications arrangements.	P Griffiths	July 2004	Dec 2002 Wight Insight and Empty Property Crisis in press 1/2002.  Further achieved through user survey 2/3-2003
		Commence a six-monthly review of consultation and feedback, apply findings to the revision and updating of the homelessness service and housing advice standards; report to members.	M Pearl &    P Griffiths	Sept 2002        IN PLACE   ONGOING	Quarterly Homelessness Steering Group in place to monitor progress in implementing Strategy.  Homeless Review conference to be held in March 2004.
		Review performance against service standards, using data and service-user consultation See Action 11.2.	M Pearl	IN PLACE/    ONGOING	Quarterly Homelessness Steering Group in place to monitor progress in implementing Strategy.  Quarterly reports to SS Select
9	Establish a dialogue with those at risk of social exclusion.	Commence a programme of improved regular contact with the voluntary sector by establishing a forum with the objective of preventing social exclusion through homelessness.	M Pearl &     I Stephens &                 R Mazillius	Sept 2002    IN PLACE   ONGOING	Homeless Strategy Steering group established which includes voluntary sector.  Also Island wide conference in April 2003 with further event for March 2004
Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
		Commence a programme of officer and member attendance and support for key voluntary group and housing advice events.	M Pearl &     I Stephens &                 R Mazillius	Sept 2002    IN PLACE   ONGOING	Officers and members both attend a range of regular and programmed events.  Includes Landlord Forum, Strategy Conferences, Strategic Housing Partnership, etc
10	Improve contact arrangements with primary healthcare services that will support and protect service users.	Implement pilot health contact arrangements immediately.	C Binnie	Immediate	Achieved
		Incorporate notifications to primary healthcare staff in the revised staff guidance manual. See Action 12.6.	M Stanley	DONE
	IMPROVE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
11	Set and monitor more challenging corporate targets and standards for homelessness, re-housing and investment.	The housing strategy for 2003/08 will include challenging targets agreed with stakeholders and council members including number of new properties built to let, number of empty properties brought into use and number of properties via PPG3	M Pearl &     I Stephens &                 G Kendall	July 2002     February 2004	1. Housing Strategy update 2004-8 reflects targets contained within Homelessness Strategy to improve prevention and reduce acceptances.
		Agree with council members a framework of challenging targets and standards for 2003/04 service plan (see also Action 8.7).	M Pearl &     I Stephens &                 G Kendall	Oct 2002 and then annually IN PLACE/ ONGOING	2. Achieved
12	Improve the framework of service standards and performance monitoring.	Commence improvement in the range and scope of consultation through the information and communications strategy (see Action 8 above), leading to service user and good-practice driven service standards, with arrangements to monitor performance (see also Actions 8.7 and 11.2).	M Pearl &    P Griffiths	Oct 2003          IN PLACE      ONGOING	Commenced through Homeless Strategy process.  Wider consultation has been implemented, but further work to be dome
Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
	Improve the performance management of staff and other resources. Update the staff guidance manual and monitor performance and compliance.	Commence continuous review of consultation findings and performance information to identify improvement priorities and actions (see Actions 8.6 and 8.7 above), and	M Pearl &    P Griffiths	IN PLACE     ONGOING	Consultation findings reviewed and action points included in Strategy. Continuous review of services now in  place
	Improve target-setting for managers and staff (SMARTen targets and PDPs).	Quarterly SMG reporting on key areas including nos. in B&B, wait time in B&B, no. of EPs brought back, new build to let, PPG 3 homes let,and % of nominations for voids from the Register.	M Pearl	DEC 2002 DONE	Achieved
		Implement the directorate performance management strategy (Oct 2002) and supervision strategy (April 2002).	M Pearl & ED Cousins	Oct 2002       DONE	Now in place
		Improve performance information collection through automated data collection (see Action 14 below).	M Pearl/         P Griffiths	March 2004	Partially Achieved – further extended by introduction of Scout Homelessness System
		Publish revised staff manuals to include best practice (including guidance on the managed exercise of discretion), inspection findings and compliance with the code of guidance.	M Stanley	June 2004	To be updated by peer review process in April 2004
		Implement service and team target setting aligned with the objectives of the housing service plan. See Action 11 above.	M Pearl/         P Griffiths	DONE	Now fully implemented
		Including staff target setting in all completed personal development plans for 2003/04.	M Stanley	May 2003    DONE	Achieved
		Commence updating and publishing policies, procedures and protocols on the internet and other networks for easy access	P Griffiths	March 2004	Underway on target
Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
13	Increase the potential for service development through longer-term contracts and service level agreements. Incorporate service guidelines and compliance checks into contracting.	Commence applying social services contracting services and procedures to all new contracts; all existing contracts to be reviewed/audited by social services contracting by April 2005.	M Stanley & H Betts	April 2003   DONE	Achieved
		Commence investigating and where appropriate arrange for longer-term contracts for suitable contractors and partners.	M Stanley & H Betts	April 2003   DONE	Achieved
14	Improve the range and quality of data collection.	Conclude strategic and joint planning for the implementation of automated systems development including investment in new computerised systems;                                  a)       Common Housing Register, and               b)      Homelessness Recording System.	M Stanley/         S Holman	Jan 2003  PARTIAL   Feb/March 2004	Software implemented for CHR, report facilities operational.  Homelessness system due to be live in Feb/March 2004
	Improve the recording and review of needs, actions and other information.	Have in place agreed information sharing protocols and new processes with key partners including RSL’s.	M Stanley	Jan 2003   DONE	Achieved
		Review data administration arrangements after introduction of new homelessness IT system.	M Stanley	April 2004	In progress
		Complete a protocol requiring the recording of diary/contact pages and decisions in the new homelessness IT system.	M Stanley	March 2003   March 2004	Delayed due to delays in new Homelessness system
		Commence staff training on business rules for electronic and data recording, to be completed before ‘switch-on’.	M Stanley	March 2003   March 2004	See above
		Housing services to commence submissions to a directorate library of objectives and targets networked to all managers and staff via the intranet.	M Stanley    P Griffiths   & H Little	March 2003   March 2004	Submission commenced
Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
15	Investigate staff workloads and processes to ensure best value.	Commence investigation of workloads and processes, benchmark with other LSVT councils, re-structure staff and processes as required, report to members.	M Pearl & G Kendall	March 2003 and report annually    DONE/ ONGOING	Recommendations made through Service Plan for 2004/5
16	Clarify local policy on response to victims of domestic violence who have no local connection.	Review current domestic violence policy when the new housing code of guidance is published. Amend policies as needed within timescales set out in this plan and the housing service plan.	M Pearl &      G Kendall	July 2002    July 2003     DONE	Included in Homelessness Strategy Review
	DEVELOPING POLICIES AND STRATEGY
17	Limit the burden of producing and working to a large number of Government-inspired strategies.	Clarify with the ODPM the potential for acting on the Audit Commission inspector’s views on achieving a reduction in the number of published housing strategies.	C Binnie & R Mazillius	Sept 2002    DONE	Achieved
18	Developing awareness of ethnic minority needs.	Produce a detailed analysis of new census information and revise BME housing strategies accordingly, update annually.	M Pearl	July 2003    July 2004	BME mapping exercise for the Island to be commissioned for April 2004
	Improving the range and scope of ethnic monitoring within the housing service and at IHAC.	Commence production of improved ethnicity information through new data collection systems. See Action 14.	M Pearl	DONE	Ethnic monitoring now fully in place. Reported to SS Cttee quarterly.
		Implement a contractual change that will improve ethnic monitoring and reporting at IHAC/Law Centre.	M Stanley	April 2004	Initial discussions with Law Centre commenced.
19	Investigate and improve the potential for attracting housing and homelessness resources to the Island	Report to members re: continued pressure on the Housing Corporation to re-assess the Island’s TCI banding.	C Waddicor & R Mazillius	Sept 2002    DONE	Achieved
		Confirm grant conditions for the £100,000 grant payment from the Bed and Breakfast Unit.	C Binnie	Sept 2002    DONE	Achieved
Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
	Identify local potential for investment in housing that will alleviate housing need	Review and then monitor the HIP allocation to ensure the most effective use of the housing capital programme.	M Pearl	March 2003 DONE/  ONGOING	In progress
		Transfer funds from housing regeneration budgets to a campaign for bringing empty properties into use and monitor effectiveness every six months.	P Griffiths	March 2003 DONE/  ONGOING	Achieved
20		Develop and implement a range of incentives based on best practice that will encourage private landlords to maintain tenancies that would otherwise be ended as a result of current market conditions. Review effectiveness and options annually.	H Field	March 2003	Achieved as part of Homelessness Prevention role
		Commence a working review of the content and style of the Housing Strategy and subsequent versions, to achieve ‘above average’ GoSE rating.	M Pearl	April 2003   DONE/    ONGOING	Complete – new Housing Strategy to be submitted to GOSE in Feb 2004
21	Improve corporate working and ability to make difficult decisions (planning and housing, subsidised land etc).	Arrange a joint policy meeting (planning and housing members) to amend council policy on PPG3. Policy issues to include; variation in affordable housing levels from 20% to 30%; variation in policy on the nature, type, density and , location of sites; commuted payments and housing tenure.	M Pearl/       G Kendall/         I Stephens/   M Miller & A Curzon	Sept 2002   DONE/  ONGOING	Meeting held, work ongoing in developing planning and affordable housing policies
		Commence regular reporting to members on the potential to make good use of land stock through disposal to RSLs at a discounted price.	C Binnie & R Mazillius & R Barry & T Flower	March 2003   DONE/   ONGOING
22	Improve the satisfaction of stakeholders who are involved in consultation on strategy and policy development.	Include in the new departmental communications strategy the requirement for stakeholder expectations to be clarified at outset and for feedback to be provided	P Griffiths		Now in progress following appointment of Corporate Information and Communication postholder
Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
	Improvements in corporate planning.	Ensure that housing achieves a higher profile in corporate consultation processes through the information and communications strategy. See Action 8.3.		DONE/   ONGOING	Housing has achieved a much higher profile with members and other officers within the last 12 months
	AMBER
	GREEN